A band plays to the après-ski crowd at the Windowmaker, above Sugarloaf’s base lodge. Photo courtesy of Sugarloaf

I grew up loving annual family ski trips to Vermont — the cozy wood-paneled condo, the hot tub on a snow-covered deck, the mid-mountain stop for cocoa and the chowder in a bread bowl in the base lodge.

The skiing itself? I could take it or leave it, and the older I get, the more I lean toward the latter, weary of the rental rigamarole and less willing to pony up for a lift ticket when I know my legs won’t last more than a couple hours.

But that doesn’t mean I won’t tag along on a trip to the mountain, spending the day in the sauna or on a snowy walk through the woods before the après-ski activities begin.

There might be good reason the post-slope party time is often shortened to “après,” aside from appeasing snowboarders. Having some late-afternoon mountainside fun doesn’t require buckling into plastic boots and freezing your fingers off beforehand (though a base lodge bar is probably the only place you’ll feel less awkward in snow pants than a pair of jeans).

With popular times to visit ski resorts approaching — Presidents Day weekend, followed by February school break — we’re taking a look at what the après scene is like at Sugarloaf, Maine’s biggest ski mountain.

Informed by input from the resort, restaurant owners and online reviews (along with some of my own experience), here’s a rundown of après options in and around Carrabassett Valley, whether you want to party hard, keep it more low-key, entertain your kids or mingle among the locals.

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SLOPE-SIDE SPOTS

A true Sugarloaf après-ski experience (for those who do have a lift ticket) starts before you get off the mountain — at ski-in/ski-out spot Bullwinkle’s, which serves several twists on the bloody Mary, as well as hot and cold cocktails, Maine craft beers and a full menu of appetizers, burgers and bowls. Last call there is at 3:15 p.m., but you’re not far from a bevy of options for your next stop.

For the see-and-be-seen experience, head to the Widowmaker, spread over two stories above the base lodge, with 20 beers on tap, happy hour specials and a selection of caffeinated cocktails to keep your energy up for the live music playing most days of the week.

Find a cozier but still lively scene at The Bag and Kettle, a Sugarloaf institution known for its Bag Burger, house-brewed beers and friendly bar crowd.

Been there, done that? Nearby are two newcomers this season: Maine-based brewpub chain Brickyard Hollow, serving up creative pizzas (which it delivers anywhere on the mountain), and the Red Pony, a hole-in-the-wall cocktail bar (named in tribute to legendary Sugarloaf party spot the Red Stallion), with everything from light beers and sliders to natural wine and shrimp ceviche.

If you’re looking for something more upscale, 45 North in the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel is the place to go for craft cocktails and small plates (think pickled beet carpaccio) with happy hour specials from 4-5 p.m. and live, acoustic music on Tuesdays (6:30-8:30 p.m.) and Saturdays (3-6 p.m.).

Another more relaxed option, across the resort at the Sugarloaf Inn, is the Shipyard Brew Haus, where there’s an outdoor patio with mountain views and a fire pit with chairs. Inside, find a full bar featuring several selections from its namesake Portland brewery on tap, modern pub fare, live music some nights and an arcade.

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To kick things into a higher gear, head down to The Rack at the bottom of the Access Road. The sprawling barbecue restaurant and bar has plenty of room to mix and mingle with an outdoor space, a basement game room and a stage for live bands on the weekends, when the party continues well into the night.

OFF THE MOUNTAIN

If you prefer to get some distance from the resort scene, a 10-minute drive down Route 27 toward Kingfield will bring you to Tufulio’s, an Italian restaurant with a bar area where you can get deals during happy hour and have a good chance of meeting some colorful characters.

Have kids that still need to burn off some steam? Reserve a lane at The SugarBowl, a bowling alley with arcade games, a golf simulator, a full bar and pub food, including house-breaded chicken and, on the first Wednesday of the month, fresh fried seafood.

For karaoke, Friday night at the Stratton Plaza is the place to be, with singers of all stripes taking the stage from 8 p.m. to midnight. About 8 miles west of the mountain, it opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, when you can stop in for a game of pool or pinball and the locally beloved thin-crust pizza.

Keep trucking out toward Canada to get to The Trail’s End in Eustis, where the prime rib draws in people from all over the state (and is on special Thursdays). Head over on Saturday evenings when live bands play weekly in winter to a crowd that ranges in age from 21 to 75 — if that’s your scene.

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